Only single-use and non-recyclable plastics will be targetted under the forthcoming plastic ban, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has clarified.
Not all plastic products will be targetted, as the policy aims to eliminate the most environmentally damaging plastic, while allowing continued use of recyclable and essential plastic materials.
Acting Director-Human Settlement Unit, EPA, Hope Lomotey made the clarification at B&FT’s 2025 Environmental Sustainability Summit (ESS) held last week in Accra held under the theme ‘Ending Plastic Waste in Ghana: A Sustainable Future for All’.
This clarification comes in the wake of growing public anxiety and misinformation surrounding the proposed ban’s nature and impact. A few industry players and consumers feared a sweeping prohibition on all plastic-related products.
It follows the recent passage of the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124), which consolidates the country’s environmental laws under a new legal framework and grants the EPA overarching authority across all sectors.
The Act supersedes previous laws governing the EPA and marks a decisive shift toward integrated and cross-cutting environmental management.
Data from the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) indicate that Ghana currently generates an estimated 1.1 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, of which only about five percent is recycled.
The rest ends up in landfills, drainage systems and water-bodies – contributing to urban flooding, marine pollution and adverse health outcomes.
“We are shifting to a circular economy, whereby you can only manufacture plastic that can be recycled. Problematic plastic that cannot be recycled will never be tolerated as part of the economy,” Mr. Lomotey said.
EPA has begun preliminary consultations with manufacturers and importers to sensitise them on the expected policy direction.
The impending ban will draw from the National Plastic Management Strategy (2020), which outlines a phased approach to addressing the domestic plastic crisis through recycling infrastructure, public education and promoting alternatives such as paper, jute and other biodegradable materials.
Earlier, President John Mahama also mentioned a sweeping ban on the importation and production of Styrofoam, which coincides with EPA preparing the institutional and regulatory groundwork for what could be one of the most ambitious environmental reforms in the country’s recent history.
The EPA’s clarification is essential for ensuring buy-in from the private sector, which remains a key player in the production, packaging and retail value chains. Therefore, businesses that depend on recyclable or long-lasting plastics – particularly in the food, beverage and logistics sectors – are expected to be exempt from the core restrictions.
